Chapter 340
Chapter 340
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 340
Chapter Title: From Now On, It's Counterattack (3)
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Part of me wanted to sweep away the assassins right in front of me in one go, but I couldn't do that just yet.
'The moment I take even a single step away, the prince will be in danger.'
To truly wipe them out, I needed to secure the prince's safety first.
I hid the prince behind me and raised my sword at an angle to deter the assassins from charging in easily.
Then I stared down their movements.
The assassins in front of me had split into two groups: one facing off against Jeong Hyeon and Woo So-ryeong.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
Chaechaengchaeng!
The other group was gripping their swords and creeping toward us.
'I need enough time for the Eastern Palace maids to reach the prince's side...'
That would give me room to maneuver and sweep the assassins away, while Jeong Hyeon and Woo So-ryeong could safely guard him.
'These elite assassins don't hesitate to throw their lives away for a mission... but there's a way.'
Given that the First Prince's Residence had been turned into a wasteland, they had likely mobilized every last bit of Flame Valley's forces.
Since they prioritized missions above all, I just needed to make them think it was impossible with the numbers they had here.
'Then the leaders mixed in among them would naturally think about linking up with other squads or calling for reinforcements.'
Even if they didn't act on it, the mere thought would create an opening.
I ignored the saying that one should hide even a fraction of their true skill in the martial world and fully unleashed my aura at the Fusion Realm.
"!"
The assassins closing in with their swords raised halted in their tracks.
In that gap, the surviving Eastern Palace maids struggled to their feet with grim determination.
Among them, the highest-ranking eunuch, Beom Naegwan, spoke to me.
"I thought we'd inevitably hand His Highness over to those beasts, and even in death, my eyes wouldn't close. Thanks to you, Great Hero Eon, we've overcome this crisis."
"Can you move?"
"Even if it costs my last breath, I will guard His Highness the Prince."
Beom Naegwan sealed his own pressure points as he spoke, stemming the blood from his wounds.
He tore his sleeve to bind his hand and sword together.
The other maids followed his example, and from the looks of it, they weren't just acting on spirit alone.
'If I can buy just a little more time, I can turn this around and get Jeong Hyeon and Woo So-ryeong to the prince's side.'
Time enough to retrieve Regret, which I'd tossed aside in the chaos.
With the maids' resolve and condition, they could hold out that long against the now-distracted assassins.
"Good."
I nodded and assumed a battle stance.
As I prepared to go on the offensive, a small hand touched my back, followed by the prince's voice.
"B-Be careful, Gwaeryong."
His trembling voice carried tension.
Without taking my eyes off the assassins, I replied to the prince.
"Don't worry about me. Your Highness, just pray properly to your royal ancestors."
"...To the ancestors?"
"I raised corpse soldiers earlier because it was urgent. But animating loyal retainers from the royal mausoleum in the royal presence... feels a bit awkward, doesn't it?"
At my words, Beom Naegwan added,
"He's saying that to ease Your Highness's tension. As you just saw, Great Hero Gwaeryong has restored the Pearl Eon Family's corpse slaves and uses the Borrowed Corpse Soul Revival technique. Surely Your Highness knows this well?"
"Of course I do."
"He can summon the power of ten thousand soldiers alone. It's meant to reassure you."
At Beom Naegwan's words, the prince gave a spirited reply.
"I understand. I trust you, Gwaeryong."
Beom Naegwan was right.
There were three reasons I brought up the sorcery.
First, to ease the prince's tension.
Second, to seek the maids' understanding.
'Seeing someone you lived with until yesterday revived in a gruesome form isn't exactly pleasant.'
And finally, to give the assassins more to think about.
From the atmosphere, all three goals had been achieved, even if just a little.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, I unleashed Shadowless Heaven-Splitting Step, kicking off the ground like lightning.
Chwaak!
Chwaaak!!!
I sliced through several blocking assassins in an instant and reclaimed Regret.
'A chilling, heavy sensation.'
As the yin energy of the millennium cold iron, which boosted black magic efficiency, wrapped around my hand,
my master grumbled telepathically.
- This guy who always acts like he's the only disciple in the world like you, throws his master without a word? Tch!
'The situation was dire.'
I replied to my master while channeling internal energy from my lower dantian to weave a spell transforming the corpses into ghouls.
I thrust Regret into the glowing formation and declared,
"O undead, heed my command."
* * * The corpses, accepting the black magic's moulting rebirth, charged ferociously at the Flame Valley assassins.
Kraaaah!
No matter how trained the assassins were, they were still human.
They might be numb to death and emotions, but their humanity wasn't erased.
Separate from their prior research allowing calm responses to my necromancy,
facing soldiers that wouldn't stay dead brought a whole new despair.
Kraaaah!!
Kaang!
"...What, their bodies are like iron?!"
"Demons. Gwaeryong has summoned demons."
The ghouls' grotesque forms and unnatural toughness evoked mythical yokai in the assassins' minds.
Cracks began to form in their ranks.
I grinned and leaped into their midst.
"There's a saying for times like this: Seeing is believing. My sorcery looks totally different up close than in stories, right?"
Then I swung Regret wildly.
Chwaak!
Chwaaak!!
The assassins started retreating helplessly.
"Eon hyung!"
"Young Hero Eon!"
Thanks to that, I reunited with Jeong Hyeon and Woo So-ryeong.
"You're both unharmed. That was great earlier. We didn't even coordinate, but you moved perfectly."
"Primordial Heavenly Lord. It's because it's Young Hero Eon."
"Right. Then I'll make sure to reward you, Jeong Hyeon."
"...?"
"Jeong Hyeon can wait. So-ryeong was especially good. Worth the good food I fed you?"
"Hehe."
I ordered them to guard the prince.
"Anyway. From now on, stick to His Highness and protect him. I'll handle those bastards with the reinforcements."
I kept swinging Regret at the assassins.
In the distance, reinforcements who had crossed the river by boat were charging in.
Among them, Yang Jin-mu and the First Prince's Residence warriors distorted their faces like vengeful spirits, swinging spears and swords.
"They turned innocent homes to ruins and sent assassins after His Highness! Leave not a single one alive!"
On the other hand, Yin Xia Lian's group from the Silver Radiance Merchant Group moved with disciplined precision, forming a crane wing formation.
"Crane Wing Formation! Disperse!!"
Namgung Yun, who had absorbed half the inner core of the Inkscale Earth Dragon and gained immense internal energy, mercilessly swung his Thunder-Clad Sovereign Sword wrapped in lightning.
When the enemy lines wavered, Yin Xia Lian, Yin Ha-seong, and Ye Hae-su's swords thrust out without mercy, turning foes into sieves.
Puk! Puk!!
Their rear and flanks were guarded by Dang Ok-gi with hidden weapons and Cheon Jang-ho with Dragon Subduing Palms.
At the sight, my master commented telepathically.
- Guangxi troops have always been famed as elite, but your siblings seem even sharper. Beyond mere skill.
'We have far more varied real combat experience.'
As my master said, their intense training had paid off.
Seeing them fight so calmly...
'Good kids.'
The Eon siblings could handle themselves.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
Chaechaengchaeng!!!
With that, I leaped toward Yang Jin-mu.
"Chief Yang!"
"Gwaeryong! Is His Highness safe!?"
"He's safe."
I relayed the prince's safety.
"Thank heavens! From the late kings to Buddha and the Heavenly Lords, all must have blessed us!"
After a moment's relief, Yang Jin-mu and his men burned with even greater fury.
"Now all that's left is to sweep these scum! You bastards! I'll slaughter every one and chew your flesh!!!"
I spoke to calm the excited warriors.
"I get how you feel, but don't get too worked up! Right now, securing His Highness is more important than killing them, isn't it?"
"!"
"Stay calm. If you understand, cover me."
"...Understood!"
Snapping to at my shout, the officers joined me in a combined assault. Moments into the trance-like swordplay,
Chaeng! Chaeng!
Chwaaak!
Our formation of ghouls, Eon siblings, and First Prince warriors was wrapping around the Flame Valley assassins when
a horde of stealthy footsteps, presence minimized, hit my senses.
'Flame Valley reinforcements?'
Immediately, a chilling sword beam sliced a ghoul cleanly in half.
Thud!!!
I urgently ordered our forces to fall back.
"Everyone, twenty steps back!"
In the gap, new black-clad figures burst forth, swords raised.
At their vanguard stood an old man whose eyes seemed clouded.
"...The world praises Gwaeryong in unison. Indeed, remarkable sorcery."
* * * The blind old man from Flame Valley suddenly praised me.
My master remarked upon seeing him.
- Reeks of dried blood. His aura is sharp for an assassin pawn. That ghoul-slicing technique... around Fusion Realm?
'Yes. A blind man leading Flame Valley reinforcements... must be Valley Lord Jo Beom.'
I replied to my master, gestured to Yang Jin-mu and Yin Xia Lian to reorganize ranks,
and addressed the old man.
"I've heard even with ears attuned to the world, that Flame Valley's Valley Lord blinded himself. Are you him?"
"Hoho. Righteous martial artists pay little heed to our kind, knowing the old man's blind but not that he did it himself... As rumored, a young man to be wary of in every way."
I tossed out bait.
"Who told you? Friends from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?"
Jo Beom feigned ignorance, addressing his upright subordinate.
"What cult? Ja-gyeong, did Gwaeryong just say Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?"
"Yes. Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
"Ah, those guys holed up in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, stirring after decades? Making noise in the Central Plains lately?"
"Yes, Valley Lord."
It seemed natural, but I sensed dissonance.
'So they're involved too?'
Pressing further wouldn't yield proof.
Glancing sideways, the First Prince warriors, who had fought wildly in excitement, were breathing raggedly.
To give them a breather, I spoke to Jo Beom.
"By the way, with your eyesight impaired, how do you judge my sorcery so highly?"
"When one door closes, another opens. Things unseen can still be known."
"Is that so?"
"The wind from bodies that should have gaping wounds and perished. The scent and gait of beings defying nature's laws. The fear from my valley folk, trained to forget their humanity... yet you revive that sensation in them."
"Only fools would forget completely. It just dulls."
In the ensuing exchange, Jo Beom let out a dry laugh.
"Hoho. Seems I've met my match today."
Suddenly, he sternly ordered the one called Ja-gyeong.
"Ja-gyeong, return and report mission failure. Seal the valley immediately, take the seeds, and relocate to the promised land. You will be the next Valley Lord."
The black-clad figure vanished like smoke.
I said to Jo Beom,
"You said failure, so you've realized it's gone south. Why not go with your successor? I'll send you off. As you see, it's chaos, so I'm feeling generous today."
Chasing them could wait. Securing the First Prince's Residence came first.
I half-meant it if they fled now.
'Not that they will.'
As expected,
Jo Beom drew the hidden sword from his staff with a shing, signaling no retreat.
"Hohoho. Flame Valley's fame comes not from always succeeding commissions, but honoring the price set on lives. Thus, I must take a few with me."
I chuckled emptily.
"Most of those corpses and moving ones are your valley folk. Who else to take? The boat to the underworld's full."
"......"
"But I know the King of Hell, so I'll squeeze you in specially. Board quick before missing your valley folk."
The talk ended there.
Jo Beom charged with short steps,
and the reformed assassin ranks poured in.
I commanded the ghouls with a necromantic incantation.
"Tear them!"
As ghouls rushed out, fierce combat erupted between them and the assassins.
Kraaaah!!
Ghouls reaching Jo Beom were diced like logs.
Thud! Thud!!
At this rate, they couldn't be revived, draining my energy and our forces.
I ordered the Eon siblings and Yang Jin-mu.
"The Valley Lord is mine. Let's go."
Gripping Regret, I dashed at Jo Beom.
He charged me too,
and Regret clashed with his staff sword, sparks flying.
Kang! Kaang!!!!!
Kaaang!!!!
Jo Beom was blind.
Yet his movements outpaced most sighted experts.
He parried Regret swiftly, dodging and countering my Heaven-Splitting Fist and Dragon Subduing Palm.
Whoooosh!!
Bam!!!!
'One door closes, another opens, huh.'
Having sacrificed sight, Jo Beom countered my assaults with hyper-developed senses and body control,
while unleashing assassin-laced strikes at me.
Shuk! Shuk!
Shushushushuk!!!
A Fusion Realm master's lethal blows, bent on mutual destruction, chilled my spine with every move.
'Danger...!'
To evade, I twisted like in a fit.
'...Almost.'
But those perilously precise strikes revealed Jo Beom's weakness.
His sword bore the deep habits of an assassin, unlike absolute masters I'd faced.
'Then I can drag him fully into my domain.'
Jo Beom had reached this level through shortcuts, after all.